YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
RESOLVING CONFLICTS FAST | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
If you ’ re reading this article , you may likely have the high calling of leading the next generation in worship . For us , having a faith based music school has been an incredible blessing , and our belief is that teaching the youth how to become skilled musicians or vocalists is only a small portion of our calling . Teaching them how to play music is important , but the most important thing we can do is disciple and mentor them to have pure hearts that are soft and open to God ’ s direction and calling on their lives .
We were recently at the rehearsal before one of our live worship events , and noticed tension in the band between two students . We didn ’ t say anything or address it that night , but it really took us back , because they were normally like family with each other , and we thought we had an extremely healthy team . When each of those students came for their individual class that week , we started by reading this scripture to them :
Philippians 2:1-11 ( Imitating Christ ’ s Humility ) “ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ , if any comfort from his love , if any common sharing in the Spirit , if any tenderness and compassion , 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded , having the same love , being one in spirit and of one mind .
3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit . Rather , in humility value others above yourselves , 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others .
5
In your relationships with one another , have the same mindset as Christ Jesus : 6 Who , being in very nature God , did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage ; 7 rather , He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant , being made in human likeness . 8 And being found in appearance as a man , He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross ! 9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name , 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , in heaven and on earth and under the earth , 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father .”
This scripture passage does such a good job of emphasizing how we are to be of one mind , one heart , and one team , in unity – humbly serving each other . Verses 5-8 state that Christ was never wrong in any situation , but He humbled Himself , even to the point of death on the cross , because of His love for us . When we ’ re dealing with hard conflicts with other people , maybe the other person is wrong , and you are the one in the right , or vice versa – but it doesn ’ t matter . God will lift us up if we humble ourselves . We explained that we noticed tension between them , and that we didn ’ t even need to know what the argument or dispute was about . Our encouragement to each of them was to go to the other and tell them “ I ’ m sorry if I ’ ve ever offended you , or done something to hurt you or make you angry . How can we get back to where we were once good friends ?”
What we didn ’ t know at the time is that this situation had actually been brewing for months . We found out later on that whatever had been going on between the two students was so hurtful that one of the students that had been with us for four years was ready to quit the worship team . And in addition to the conflict between the two students , it was now causing division between the parents of the students . We met with the parents and asked them that if their child came to them with a problem with another student on the team , to please ask them to go directly to the other person and have a conversation .
We asked the parents to encourage the students to work it out between themselves one on one , without their interference , because bringing more people into the conflict could cause even more division . Doing this hard thing on their own could be a powerful life lesson . That Sunday during church , after their opening worship set , we noticed the two girls sitting together during the message , and they spent more time together that day . The parents told
us the girls were texting back and forth , and their relationship was being restored because of their willingness to communicate and humble themselves each before the other .
Lincoln Brewster made this very true statement : “ Ministry is a series of uncomfortable conversations .” And that pretty much says it ... To maintain healthy relationships in our teams , we have to address issues head on , quickly , and have those crucial conversations in a spirit of humility .
May you be blessed as you pour into or become the next generation of worship leaders and musicians !
Vance & Michelle Shepherd Founders of The Shepherd School of Music in Las Vegas , NV , where they work with youth to raise up the next generation of worship leaders and musicians . facebook . com / shepherdschoolofmusiclasvegas www . ShepherdStudiosLV . com